Identification of the structural, architectural, cellular and molecular basis for the skeletal phenotypes that result from genetic/pharmacologic interventions and disease states is essential for translating scientific discoveries into therapeutic innovations. The goal of the Skeletal Phenotyping Core is to provide costefficient, state ofthe art, quality-controlled skeletal phenotyping services to fulfill the unmet needs of junior investigators who are transitioning to an independent career in skeletal biology, of established investigators who are new to skeletal biology and of established skeletal biologists. A key part ofthe mission ofthe Skeletal Phenotyping Core will be education, mentoring and incorporation of novel and innovative services to meet the needs ofthe constituent investigators. Consultation regarding experimental design, specimen handling and data analysis will be provided by Core directors, to insure that the maximal amount of data can be obtained from each specimen/subject. The Core will host didactic teaching sessions, hands-on workshops and seminars designed to educate investigators and to foster collaboration among investigators. A special focus ofthe Core will be mentorship of junior investigators and of those investigators new to skeletal biology. This infrastructure and these activities will 1) enhance the productivity and expand the scope of research being conducted by the Core investigators, 2) promote innovation and incorporation of novel technologies into core services 3) foster synergy across a large and diverse community interested in skeletal research, ultimately leading to levels of success greater than the sum of the individual investigators' projected achievements. This will be achieved by the following specific Aims: Aim 1: Provide efficient, high-quality, state-of-the-art skeletal phenotyping services that are not readily supported by individual research grants; Aim 2: Provide shared resources, training, and educational services to support new investigators in skeletal biology and to facilitate collaboration among core investigators.